The renowned journalist was shot dead by police officers manning a roadblock along Magadi Road on Sunday night in what authorities described as a case of ‘mistaken identity’.
The former reporter and TV anchor of ARY TV had moved to Kenya after finding it hostile in Pakistan after the ouster of Imran Khan from the government.
The killing sparked protests on social media on police brutality in Kenya with a section of netizens claiming that at the time of his death, Sharif was in the country to film a major global corruption exposé dubbed ‘Behind Closed Doors’ together with Namu, an award-winning Kenyan journalist and co-founder of Africa Uncensored.
“If anyone has any doubt why he went to Kenya , let me elucidate he was there for to expose the corrupt, corruption of PDM, BAJWA. He was working on the project behind the close doors with Kenya based journalist @johnallannamu…” a Twitter user @mir_shavkat wrote on Monday morning.
However, in a quick rejoinder, Namu dismissed the information as ‘incorrect’.
This is incorrect
Another Twitter user @AR16244 wrote: “Arshad Sharif was working on an explosive investigative documentary on the corruption, titled as “Behind Closed Doors”. The documentary featured Kenyan investigative reporter @johnallannamu, which may explain why #ArshadSharif may have travelled to #Kenya.”
In his response, Namu, while condoling with the family of Sharif, confirmed that he had been featured in the said documentary but denied working or having met the deceased.
“I am sorry to hear about Arshad’s death. I was interviewed for the documentary but he and I never met or worked together,” Namu said.
I am sorry to hear about Arshad's death. I was interviewed for the documentary but he and I never met or worked together.
Sharif is said to have died in a hail of bullets sprayed by GSU police officers from Magadi Training school, who were pursuing child kidnappers.
In a police report, the officers said they were put on high alert by Starehe DCI over a child kidnapping incident.
The police said the car with a KDJ number plate that they were pursuing had been reported missing and had a child in it.
The deceased was being driven by his brother identified as Kurram Ahmed in a KDG number plate.
The police said that the two were flagged after they branched into Kiserian-Magadi road from a dusty feeder road, but defied the orders forcing the officers to open fire. The brother survived.
The child in question was later recovered in Kiserian while the car, KDJ number plate, is yet to be recovered.
